Machine for covering metallic boxes



A. A. THOMAS.

^ MACHINE FOR COVER'I'NG METALLIC BOXES.

APPucATloN FILED' SEPT. 29. 1920.

Patented May`10, 1921.

HEET l.

2 SHEETS-s Unirse stares rarest cerise.

ADELBERT A. THOMAS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO CRESCO MANUFAC-TUBING C0., 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ltllay 1C, 1921.

Application led September 29, 1920. Serial No. 413,594.

To all 'w 710m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ADELBERT A. THoMAs, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chicago, in the'county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines forCovering Metallic Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

rIhe invention relates to machines for covering metallic boxes and itsobject i s to pro-L videimproved infolding mechanism by which thecovering may be lapped and kheld around the edge of the box, which issimple in construction and eflicient in operation.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter setforth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.y

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying`the invention, parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a perspective ofthe upper die and parts connected thereto. Fig. 3 is a section taken online 3 3 of Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 5.Fig. 5 is a verticalv section through the upper die.

The invention is illustrated as applied to a machine comprising asupporting frame 10 which is secured to a work-table 11 in any suitablemanner `and a base 12 which is adapted to support a guide 13 in whichthe lower die carrier 14 is suitably held. The frame also comprises astandard 15 having a guideway formed therein for the stem 17 of theupper die.

The lower die comprises a holder-block 20 shaped to fit into theboxes tobe covered and fixed to a post 19 which is vertically slidable inthecarrier 14. `Block 20 conforms substantially to the shape of theinside of the box so that the latter can be placed over and will be heldaround the block. A cover holder' member 24 surrounds the block 20, isformed with an opening` 25 which has its sides properly spaced from theblock, so that the box-sides can be dropped onto the block. The top ofmember 24 is adapted to support a sheet of suitable covering material ofthe desired shape necessary to cover the box and is provided with a gage24 to position the sheet. A bottom plate 27 is secured to member 24.Posts 28 extend downwardly through, and are vertically movable in, thecarrier 14 to permit said member to slide vertically relatively to thecarrier. Plate 2? is extended to underlie block 2O to limit the upwardmovement of the socket memberrelatively to the block so that normallythe top of member 24 will be disposed substantially flush with the topof the box on the blocl; 20. Springs 29 between plate 2T and carrier i4press member 24 normally upward and permit said member to recede as theupper die forces the cover around the sides of the box on the block. Adevice to provide cumulative pressure or force to the member 24 when itis forced downwardly by the upper die comprises a rod 8O secured toplate 13a, a spring S1 engaging a nut 82 on said rod and a plate 83engaged by the upper end of the spring and vertically slidable on posts28.

rlhc upper die comprises a plate 32, a body 33 and a bottom plate 34 allsecured together and to the lower end of stem 17. An opening 35 isformed in plate 34 and body 33 which is shaped to conform to the sidesof the box with the cover around it. A plunger 37 conforming to theshape of the top of the box is slidably mounted inopening 35'so that thecovered box in said opening may be ejected from the upper die. Said dieis adapted, when operated in conjunction with the block 20 andsocket-member 25, to. fold the cover-sheet around the sides of the box.During the folding operation, plate 34 will engage the spring-pressedholder 24 and force it downwardly against the; force of springs 29, 31to permit the upper die to force the cover around the box.

A series of infolders 33 are radially slidable in body 33 and theirinner ends conform normallyto the form of the opening 35 and to the box.VThese are adapted to engage the cover after it has been placed aroundthe box and lap the marginal portions of the covering inwardly under theedge of the box. These folders 33 are conjointly operable by a U-shapedshifter 39 which has its sides slidably held in grooves 33 in the body33 and has depending pins secured thereon which extend through inlrestricted to the details set forth, since these inoperative. A pivotedlatch 44 is adapted to engage a lug 45 on shifter 39 to normally lockthe shifter so that the infolders, when they have been shifted inwardly,will be automatii ally locked to retain the cover1 lapped around theedge of the box until the upper die is again lowered to press the coveragainst the inside of the box by other mechanism. This latch will beautomatically released when the upper die has been lowered by a trip 4Gwhich is Xed to the guide i3 and has an inclined upper edge 47 adaptedto eno'age an inclined edge 48 on the latch 44. es a result, vit is notnocessary for the operator to hold the infolders in operative position.

A stem 56 is secured to the ejector 87 and is slidable in the stem l? ofthe upper die. A spring 57 is applied to hold member 37 normally at thetop of the opening 35 in the member Any suitable mechanism may boprovided for raising and lowering the stem 17 and for lowering the stein17 in the upper die to eject the box.

ln operation, the boX will be placed on the block 2O and a coveringsheet 26 will be laid on the member 24. The upper die will then belowered to cause the cover-sheet to be laid around sides of the box,member 24 being` forced downwardly away from the block 2O by the plate34 of the upper die. Next, the upper die will be retracted and duringthis retraction, the box and cover will remain in the opening` 35 on theupper die. During this retraction, the operator will shift lever 42 toconjointly operate the infolders inwardly which will be automaticallylocked to retain the covering folded over th@ edges of the box by thelatch The succeeding steps in this box-covering operation may beperformed by suitable mechanism, as well understood in the art, andwhich forms no part of the present invention.

The invention exemplifies infolding mechanism for box coi'f'eringmachines which is simple in construction and in which the shifter isslidably mounted to move in a rectilinear path and in which a portion ofthe shifter, to which the operating mechanism is connected.y is disposedoutside of the body in which the shifter slides. Also such a structureis adapted to be automatically released.

The invention is not to be understood as may be modilied within thescope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what l claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters .Patent is:

l. ln a machine for covering` cases, the combination of cooperating diesone of which is provided with an opening with the cover folded aroundits sides, a series of slidable folders for folding the edge of thecovering over theJ edge of the box, and a shifter for said folderscomprising a member operatively connected :to the folders and slidablein a rectilinear path.

2. ln a machine for covering cases, the combination of cooperating diesone of which is provided with an opening with the cover folded aroundits sides, a series of slidable folders for folding the edge of thecoverino over the edge of the box, and a shifter provided with sidesslidably mounted in the latter die and a connecting member outside ofthe die.

8. In a machine for covering cases, the combination of cooperating diesone of which is provided with an opening with the cover folded aroundits sides, a series of slidable folders for folding the edge of thecovering over the edge of the boli, a lilshaped shifter for said foldersslidably mounted in the .latter die and having its connecting memberdisposed outside ofthe die.

In a. machine for covering cases, the combination of cooperating diesone of which is provided with an opening with the cover folded aroundits sides, a series of. slidable folders for folding` the edge of thecovering over the edge of the box, and a shifter mounted to slide in arectilinear path in the latter die and having member ontsidc thereof,and a lever pivoted to the latter die and operatively connected to theshifter.

5. ln a machine for covering cases, the combination of cooperating diesone of which is provided with an opening with the cover folded aroundits sides, a series of slidable folders for folding the edge of thecovering over the edge of the box, a shifter slidably mounted in thelatter dies and operatively connected to operate the infolders, and apivoted latch adapted to automatically lock the shifter.

ADELBERT A. THOMAS,

